2013 jaguar xj-series Model Overview

Sum Up

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Entry prices ranging from $65,000 – $119,000, depending on model, trim, and options selections, mean the 2013 Jaguar XJ-Series is not a Blue Light Special. Premium cars command premium prices. One justification is the unique styling. The Jaguar stands out from other luxury designs. The big cat heritage is unmistakable. Still, the car brings high value in the luxury segment. Multiple options make it possible for the car to emerge with highly personalized customization.

The XJ-Series brings subtle changes and refinement, advancing new ideas of what it means to be a luxury car. With high performance, appeal to aesthetics, and unique styling cues, the car offers an alternative path to luxury transportation.

New For 2013

A new 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 expected to make at least 340 hp becomes the third engine option in the XJ. Also new is the limited-edition XJ Ultimate model, which spoils rear passengers with items such as reclining seats wrapped in semi-Aniline leather, a Champagne chiller, and individual iPads. If you want one, hurry — just 30 Ultimates have been allotted for buyers in the United States.

Exterior

At 17 feet of length with a roofline less than five feet high, the 2013 Jaguar XJ-Series looks poised to pounce. The swoopy, sexy, svelte sedan is still British, with modern cues. The low roofline creates low angles for windscreen and rear glass, with roof and deck lines flowing together in barely perceptible transition. Purposeful headlamps and graceful hood lines point toward a snout tilted slightly backward and filled with chrome mesh. The chrome vent do-dad on the front quarter panel near the wheel opening creates visual disruption. The design team would have to figure out where to place supercharged or super sport designations, though, if not for this automotive jewelry, as Jaguar describes it.

LED taillights sweep up and out, narrowing as they flow over the fender crests. The inside edges of the lamps cleanly follow the trunk lid line, refusing to follow common practice for taillight design. Details abound: chrome splitter on front air inlets, dual flattened-dome-shaped exhaust tips, and the Jaguar cat in flight over the letter logo on the rear deck. The 2013 Jaguar XJ-Series sedan can be had in four- or five-passenger variations. Wheel centers are emboldened with a snarling Jaguar face. Rear side window glass narrows to a small point. A generous chrome edge wrap mitigates the sharp look. Wheels, both 19- and 20-inch sizes, have design distinguishable enough to be taken as custom, with no bad-looking example in the list.

Interior & Cargo

The interior merits an exclusive article. Interior swoops reprise the exterior design. The small blue analog clock atop the center stack nods to earlier days. Three large round LCD (liquid crystal display) dials barely touch each another in the instrument panel. The Ultimate model has a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) virtual panel for sharp-resolution graphics. With the optional panoramic glass roof extending the full width and nearly the full length of the top, sky-wide vistas open above. Luxury trim is plentiful, with choices of real wood veneers, piano black, brushed aluminum and spin-finished bright work. A Jaguar in mid-leap adorns the steering wheel and also the splash screens of electronics devices, for unsubtle reminders of the brand.

A true aficionado may want to enjoy the machine without luxury penthouse distractions. However, rear-seat occupants of the XJL Ultimate can entirely disconnect from any sense of motion if desired. Enveloped by semi-aniline leather seats, with lumbar support and massage functions, a passenger can cocoon. Take a bottle from the beverage chiller, pour a drink into a Jaguar-branded champagne flute, rest it on the solid aluminum table, and contemplate philosophy. Leather docks house twin third-generation iPads with wireless keyboards. For complete insulation from the outside world, boot-up the 825-watt, 20-speaker system.

Safety

The 2013 Jaguar XJ-Series has not been safety tested. Safety is not an afterthought, though. Standard front, side, and side curtain airbags wait at the ready. Anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, and tire-pressure monitoring are on each car. For better illumination, adaptive headlights that peek around corners can be ordered. To avoid loss to thieves, choose the remote anti-theft system.

The XJ has a strong but lightweight aluminum structure. Headlamps, which sense dusk and react appropriately, have high-pressure washers for clear vision. Headrests are multi-adjustable with whiplash protection. Tire pressure is actively monitored. Further, the long hood and engine section provide a substantial crush zone to protect passengers.

Driving Experience

Jaguar is clearly interested in supercharging, as evident by the fact that almost all Jaguar engines are supercharged. The new base engine, a 3.0-liter, 340-horsepower V-6, with 360 lb-ft of torque, is supercharged. Two other supercharged engines are V-8’s: a 5.0-liter, 470-horsepower unit, producing torque of 424 lb-ft and a 5.0-liter, 510-horsepower brute with torque muscle of 461 lb-ft, for caffeinated forward motion. That last engine is available only on the Ultimate XJL. Many may settle for the V-6, especially considering the significant price difference.

A rotary shifter offers a unique approach eight-speed, automatic transmission control. Shift paddles are also integrated with the steering wheel. Steering is precise and handling is balanced. The cars are rear-wheel drive. Jaguar’s optional Instinctive all-wheel drive system biases torque to the rear wheels under normal conditions. When traction deteriorates, the system anticipates and redirects power flow to appropriate wheels. It senses traction loss before it happens. Fuel economy is typical for this range of cars, at 15-18/21-26 mpg city/highway. Acceleration ranges from satisfying to thrilling, depending on the engine and model, with times of 4.0 – 5.8 seconds from start to 60 miles per hour. The basic warranty stands at five years/50,000 miles.

Key Competitors For The 2013 Jaguar XJ-Series

2013 Jaguar XJ-Series Pricing

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

$73,200

Certified Pre Owned Pricewhat is this?

$31,800

Certified Pre-Owned Price is the approximate price a consumer can expect to pay at a dealership for a used vehicle that has passed the manufacturer's certification process. This price applies only to vehicles covered under an automaker's CPO program, not to a dealership's own "certified" used price.

Recalls

Vehicles that have the generic software may put the occupants at an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Recall Date

2014-06-02

Description

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain model year 2013 Jaguar XJ vehicles manufactured May 21, 2012, through July 10, 2012. The generic software calibration installed on the vehicles' Restraints Control Module (RCM) may not meet the specification for proper operation of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy

Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will upload new software for the Restraints Control Module, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2014. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-855-524-8278. Jaguar's number for this recall is J040.

Units Affected

70

Recall ID#14V123000 - EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Consequence

If the certification label does not specify all the necessary information or the vehicle weight range could result in the vehicle being overloaded and increase the risk of a crash.

Recall Date

2014-03-14

Description

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain model year 2013 XF and XJ vehicles manufactured March 26, 2013, through April 10, 2013. In these vehicles, the certification label that is intended to specify the required Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) front, Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) rear, the manufacture date and country of manufacture is absent. Thus, the vehicles do not conform to Part 567, "Certification."

Remedy

Jaguar will notify owners and dealers will re-acquire and will provide a replacement vehicle or a full refund of the purchase, free of charge. Owners may contact Jaguar at 1-855-524-8278. Jaguar's number associated with this recall is J039.

Units Affected

3

Recall ID#14V157000 - SUSPENSION:REAR

Consequence

If a toe link separates from the rear sub-frame, a loss of vehicle stability and directional control may result, increasing the risk of a crash.

Recall Date

2014-03-31

Description

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 XJ, XF and XK vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the toe links, components used to control the alignment of the rear wheels, can separate from the rear sub-frame.

Remedy

Jaguar notified owners on May 8, 2014, and dealers will replace the nut and washer assembly on the rear toe links, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin around May 27, 2014. Owners may contact Jaguar at 1-855-524-8278. Jaguar's number for this recall is J037.

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